Felting machine



Dec. 29, 1931. H. M. zoERB ET AL 1,838,727

` FELTING MACHINE Filed April 13, 192B s sheets-sheet 1 p .s Nw NN I aw JWHJLVIE: -HH mw ,i mw 1Q L ww ab t Nw u. n

H. M. ZOERB ET AL Dec. 29, 1931.

` FELTING MACHINE Filed April l5, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 @wx @,Q@ E@ N@ .www Y Wm/ Sm @of ww @J wm. l @n JW n NNMN 1 RN. m@ .E bm Y Q @@mw@ Q @o mw @n kvm, Nb, Wm QM@ Q@ m wm,

@moi om @Romain Dec. 29, 1931. H. 'M zol-:RB ET ALv 1,338,727

FELTING MACHINE Filed April 13, 1928 5 Sheets-$heet I. v

Patented Dec. 279, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE A HOWARD M. ZOERB AND RUDOLPH BUETTNER, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, AS-

SIGNORS TO NORDBERG MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF MILWAUKEE, XVISCONSIN,

A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN FELTING MAGHINE Application led April 13,

This invention relates to machines for producing felt or felt-like sheets. Sheets of felt-like material made primarily of cow hair are quite extensively used as underlays for rugs and carpets, and other purposes where reasonably good mechanical strength is required.

The invention resides in certain improvements in machines for manufacturing such felts. Such Amachines as heretofore constructed included two plates Vbetween which the material to be treated is received, said plates being urged yieldingly toward each other to compress the material and at theV same time reciprocated relatively to each other in a direction at right Aangles lto the line of pressure. The eect is to compact the hairs and rub them'together, thus developing as fully as possible the ratherpoor'felting properties of the cow hair and similar materials customarily used.

Ordinarily these machines make useof a fixed horizontal supporting plate and a rreciprocating overlying plate which compresses the material by its own weight. In the operation it is ydesired to change the amplitude of reciprocating motion to meet certain contingencies incurred in the manufacturing process. One of the features of the present invention is the provision of means for changing such amplitude of 4.motion conveniently and accurately. 1 l

Another feature of the invention is the provision of means for heatingv both plates while the relative reciprocation is taking place.V

Other features of novelty will appear from the detailed description to be given of the preferredl embodimentof the invention illustirated in the accompanying drawings, in

which,- y

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the machine showing the plates separated to receive raw material.

1 Fig. 2 'is an end view of the machine Yshown in Fig. 1, this view being on a slightly reduced scale and` looking at the machine from the left relatively to Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view ,of the machine. Fig. 4 is aview ofa portion of the main 1928. Serial No. 269,524.

driving shaft of themachine showing one of the adjustable eccentrics in detail. 1

Fig. 5 is a vview of onerof the adjustable -eccentrics removed from the shaft and vviewed `from the right relatively to Fig. 4. a relatively inexpensive padding material of Fig. `6 is a similar view looking from the leit relatively to Fig. 4..

piston rods 18. Each rod carries atits upy per end a yoke 19 having rollers 21. These rollers 21 coact with the lower faces of brackets 22'bolted to the opposite lends of the upper plate 23.v The upper plate 23 is also` a cored casting having an internal steam chamber 24:. A steam supply connection 25 is' connected at two points, 26, with the-chamber 24, and leading from one end of the chamber 24C is a combined steam and condensate drain connection 27 which communicates by way of iiexible hose 28 and pipe 29 with the inlet connection 16 of the lower plate.A Leading from the upper portion of the chamber 14 is a water discharge connection 31 which leads to a hot well or the equivalent. A stand4 pipe 33 open at its upper end is used to vvent air from the system. Y y).

The lift cylinders 17 are used to raise and lower the plate 23 relatively Vto the plate 13. Bolted to the beam member 11 and also resting on the foundation, are four frames34, identical with each other and eachV formed with seats to receivev substantial bearing brasses 35 which are retained by removable caps 36. These 'bearing brasses are alined and support the main drive shaft 37. of the machine.l This shaft is rotated by a belt which runs` on the pulley 38 fast von the shaft. The frames 3a are arranged in pairs, the frames of each pairbeingrelatively close to each other Vso as to support the `shaft on each side of an adjustable eccentric. This double support for the shaft is advisable because of the substantial mass of the plate 23 and the heavy stresses imparted to the shaft each time the direction of motion of the plate is changed.

Between the frames of each pair the shaft 37 is formed (see F ig. 1) with an eccentric circular portion 41. ln order to secure satisfactory strength this portion 41 is preferably larger in diameter than the shaft and is preferably integral with the shaft. Swiveled on the eccentric portion 41 is an eccentric annulus 42. By the term eccentric annulus77 Vwe mean to bring out the fact that the internal surface of the member 42, indicated at 43, is eccentric relatively to the external bearing surface 44 of the member 42. It fol- `lows that the eccentricity of the bearing surface 44, relatively to the axis of the shaft 87, may be varied for adjusted by rotating the member 42 on the eccentric portion 41 of the shaft.

At one side of the eccentric portion 41 the Vshaft 3f( is formed with an integral collar 45 against which one face of the .eccentric annulus 42 seats. 'This face -is formed with a series of spaced tapered holes 46, the centers fof these holes being in a circle eccentric with the internal surface 43.

Mounted in the 'iiange 45 and slidable in a direction parallel with the axis of the shaft $37,'is a'stop pin or indexing pin 47 having a 4tapered head 48 which when projected by a .spring 49 enters and r'i'ts closely` `in one of the Aholes 4G, ythus 'Ilatcliing the annulus 42 in a *deli-m'f'teangu-lar relation to the sh'aft. The member 48 is retractable Yby a knob 51 and is -used merely 4to secure accurate initial posi- `ftioninv'g of the annulus 42. When so posi- :ti'on'ed it is locked to the shaft 37 by a collar :extension formed integrally with the annulus 42 and split diametrically as indicated :at 53. This split permits the collar to be deformed and clamped tightly upon a portion of the eccentric part 41 of the shaft 37 by means of 'hea-Vy bolts 54 provided for that .purpose The split collar l52 is formed with :tivo Adiametrica'lly opposed lbosses l55 which :are bored at 56 to receive a bar which is temporarily inserted merely to Aturn the annulais 42v on the veccentric portion 41. To make this adjustment th'e bolts 54 are, of course, loosened and the tapered bolt 48 is with- The purpose of the bolt 48 is not to carry any fload, but is merely to insure accurate positioning of the annulus 42 at the time the belts 54 .are tightened. This accurate posilti'oning is necessary because two eccentrics are used, and unless the eceentricity of the 'two -be -made identical in the various concurrent adjustment serious wear is inevitalble. To accomplish this result the two eccentric structures are counterparts, the angular spacing of the holes 46 being the same on both of the annuli 42 and the location of the tapered bolt 48 being the same on the two collars 45.

Running on the outer bearing surface 44 of each of the annnli 42 is a corresponding eccentric strap 57 Whose rod 58 is pivoted at 5S) to lugs (il fast on the upper side of the uppeil plate To stop the rotation of the shaft 37 there is provided a brake drum 62 with which there coacts a brake band 63 which may bc contracted into braking engagement with the drum by depressing a pedal 64. The pedal (-lis connected to contract the brake band G3 by a linl-age of ordinary form, part of which appears at 65.

ln operating the machine steam is supplied to the upper plate. Here part of the steam condenses, the remain( er, with condensate, passing to the lower plate. The conne tions of the lower plate are such as to rctain the lower plate full of condensate which is liept het by such steam as passes from the upper plate.V This is a simple and effective way of lrce'nng the heating jackets free of air. ln .ais wav eifcctive use of the available heat of the steam is secured, and a goed transfer of heat to `the plates is maintained.

The lift cylinders 17 are operated to lift the upper plate 23, the layer of material to be felted is placed on the plate 13, after which the vair lifts 17 operated to lower the upper pl 'e upen the material. Rotation of the shaft 37 causes the plate 23 to reciprocate in a-hmizontal direction while resting upon the material, and the `eil'cct is to compact and felt the material into a sheet .iaving the desired mechanical properties.

(En the completion of the operation the air `lifts lift the plate 23 so that the finished sheet may `be removed. If at any time it is desired te change the amplitude of reciprocation of the plate 2B, the bolts 54 on both eccentrica are lcosened, the bolt 47 is retracted and the tivo eccentric annuli 42 are rotated simultaneously and by the same amount to the desired new position, in which they are again positioned by their respective bolts 48. lNhile so positioned the annuli are clamped in fixed relation upon the shaft 37 by setting up the nuts on the bolts 54.

The device is of simple and rugged construction. The eccentrics may be easily adjusted and when adjusted maintain their adjustment indeiinitely. The heating of both plates during "treatment of the material results in a better product than can otherwise be secured.

Obviously various changes in vthe details of construction may be made and we do not mean to limit ourselves except to the extent specified in the claims.

iVliaft isclaimed is 1. In a machine of'the class described, the

combination of a pair of substantially horizontal plates, each having a heating jacket, one plate supporting the material to be treated and the other overlying and compressing the same means for supplying steam to the jacket of the uppe-r plate; connections.-

tor draining'condensat'e from the jacket of the upper plate and conducting Athe same with uncondensed steam tothe jacket of thelower plat-e; means for maintaining the last named acket substantially fullof condensate and for draining away excess condensate; and means for producing relative reciprocating motion between said plates in ahoriz-ontal direction. Y

2. In a machine of the class described, th combination of a pair of substantially horizontal plates, each having a heating jacket, one plate supporting the material to be treated and the other overlying and compressing the same; means for feeding steam to the jacket of the upper plate; means for maintaining the jacket of the lower plate filled with waterj means :tor maintaining said water in a heated condition bywaste heat from the upper plate; and means for produc ing relative reciprocating motion between said plates. f

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a pair of plates having opposed faces between which the material to be treated is received, and provided with heating jackets substantially coextensive.

with said opposed faces; means urging said plates toward each other; meansfor producmg relative reciprocation of the plates 1n a direction parallel with their opposedl faces;`

means for feeding steam to one of said jackets; a connection between said jackets; and a discharge connection for the second jacket arranged to maintain said second jacket substantially full of'condensate.

lntestimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification..

RUDOLPH W. BUETTNER.

HOWARD M. ZOERB. 

